Tuesday, 24 May 2011

Nearly Past five months since Avera Motors teased us with a view of the company's first product – an inexpensive, highly efficient vehicle that's been designed to be fun to fling. Since then, it seems that the start-up came under the ire of Hyundai for using the Avera name. Rather than lock horns in an expensive legal battle, the Florida-based automaker simply agreed to change its name. You'll now find the company sailing under the Rivian Automotive banner.

According to news reports, Hyundai believed Avera was too similar to the company's Azera nameplate. Hyundai filed suit against the new company in November of last year.

The new name pays homage to the Indian River, which flows through Rivian's home town of Brevard County, Florida.

Perhaps more interesting is that the automaker has begun the first road tests of the prototype we saw teased so long ago. Supposedly, the vehicle has been out and about in the Sunshine state for a while now. Let us know if you've seen anything odd on the roads around Rockledge, Florida.